Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella is at the Council of the European Union in Luxembourg today, presenting the Commission's proposed Regulation on technical measures to EU fisheries ministers. A proposed Regulation on data collection in the fisheries sector is also on the agenda.

The European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on a multi-annual plan for cod, herring and sprat in the Baltic Sea at a trilogue meeting yesterday, following a European Commission proposal in 2014.

A seminar organised by the European Commission in Brussels brought together national and European policymakers, scientists, fishing industry representatives and other stakeholders to discuss first experiences with the implementation of the landing obligation. Speakers focused on lessons learnt and next steps.

Fish stocks in the Mediterranean have been declining for decades. Over 90% of the fish stocks assessed are over-exploited, and despite recent efforts the situation is not improving. Managing fish stocks is complicated by the fact that many of them are shared with non-EU countries.